Introduction to D&D 2nd Edition Terminology
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Introduction to D&D 2nd Edition Terminology
Dungeons and Dragons 2nd edition ruleset comes with it's own lingo and series of terms that players should learn about. Below is a quick rundown of some of the more impactful things that you will come across while playing. More general terms used across many RPGs such as CC, AoE, etc... have been left out.
- AC = Armor Class
- THAC0 = To Hit Armor Class Zero
- APR = Attacks Per Round
- Saving Throw
- Spell Slots
- Multiclassing
- Dualclassing
- Proficiencies
- Infravision
Armor class represents a characters chance of being hit. In Dungeons and Dragons, the lower the number the better. This value is generally modified by equippable items.
This value is used to calculate whether or not one of the party members attacks will land. The game rolls a 20-sided die and subtracts the THAC0 from the number. You can successfully hit any AC great than or equal to that number. With the exception of, if a 1 is rolled during the die roll, it is always a miss and if a 20 is rolled, it's always a hit.
The number of melee or ranged attacks in a 6 second period. 1/2 means that 1 attack would occur over the next two rounds, while 3/2 means three attacks in 2 rounds.
When a effect allows for a saving throw, a 20-sided die is rolled and the result is adjusted against the saving throw bonuses on the rolling characters gear, or provided by their class. This is then compared to the saving throw modifiers on the effect. If the saving throw is successful, the character will receive a reduced effect or negate the effect entirely.
Within Dungeons and Dragons, certain classes are provided spell slots based on their level. They can fill these slots with a known spell, which is memorized and can be used once before a slot must be regenerated through resting or using an item.
Multiclassing allows a player to build a character with a combination of more than one class. This style of character creation splits earned experience points across both classes, slowing the rate of leveling but providing abilities from both.
Dualclassing is only available to Human characters, but allows a character to start as one class and then switch to another class. This does not split the experience between the classes, but allows the player to choose when to dualclass into a different class. However, the original classes abilities will not be available to the player unitl the 2nd class has reached the level of the first.
A characters proficiencies determines how well they can use a specific type of weapon. Generally, having a proficiency in a weapon will add a bonus to their attack rolls.
Is a beneficial status effect that allows a character to detect creatures and objects based on heat, and effectively see better in the dark. All races of characters gain this ability except for humans and halflings. For characters who do not have the ability it can be gained through items or spells.